Healthy People 2010 identified obesity as 1 of 10 leading health indicators and called for a reduction in the proportion of children who are overweight or obese. According to National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), in 2010 the prevalence of obesity in children was 16.9%.1 Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes all of which are leading causes of preventable death. With the percent of children in the overweight and obese categories on the rise, steps need to be taken to help Oklahoma’s children to begin to eat better and move more where they live, play, and learn.

CATCH Kid’s Club (CKC)

Millions of children today have their parents working outside the home. These families have a need for child care programs during the after school hours. Children in these situations spend an average of 7.5 hours per week participating in after-school programs. The Coordinated Approach To Child Health Kids Club (CKC) is a physical activity and nutrition education program designed for elementary school aged children (grades K - 5) in an after-school setting. CKC is composed of nutrition education materials (including snack activities) and a physical activity component. The CKC program offers an easy-to-use format that both children and staff enjoy and is ready to implement in the after-school settings.2

Oklahoma’s CKC

The Oklahoma State Department of Health Community Development Service (CDS) has implemented CATCH Kids Club in after-school programs statewide in order to educate and motivate children to eat better and move more where they learn and to further encourage positive nutrition and physical activity changes where they live. Oklahoma’s CKC programs can be found in YMCAs, Boys and Girls Clubs, 21st Century Learning Centers, and in local community centers and churches. The CKC program in Oklahoma began in the fall of 2007 in twenty after-school sites, and currently has more than 80 after-school partners across the state. The benefits of this program are numerous! By teaching children that eating healthy and being physically active everyday can be fun, the Oklahoma CKC program has proven that establishing healthy habits in childhood can promote healthy behavior choices that will last a lifetime.

The ultimate goal for Oklahoma’s CATCH Kids Club is for participating children to reduce their risk of obesity and improve their overall health by increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, being more physically active, and fostering healthy environments in which they learn and play.

CKC Curriculum

CKC includes nutrition education materials and a physical activities component which are designed to positively affect healthy behaviors. The curriculum uses a variety of education strategies, including large group discussions, educational games and activities, goal setting, hands-on snack preparation, and taste-testing. An integral component of the CKC Program is the Family Component. Parental involvement contributes to the effectiveness of positive changes in eating and physical activity behaviors, and the family component reinforces this involvement. A CKC nutrition manual, activity box, and equipment set are used to assist instructors to deliver the curriculum. The curriculum includes nutrition education via fun activities that keep kids moving. All activities are non-elimination so that every participant remains physically active for the intended duration.